Syrian Civil War 2011-2012 - Societa italiana di storia militare

23 January At least 22 civilians, five security forces and an SA defector were killed on 23 January, activists said. The LCC said
security forces killed 23 people including two children, a rebel soldier and two who died under torture. It said that five people were
killed in Daraa, six in Homs, eight in Idlib, two in Damascus, two in Hama, one in the north-western province of al-Hasakeh and
another in Deir al-Zour. [108] SANA reported that 11 people were killed and three wounded when a bus was attacked with RPGs and
gunfire in the Ashira neighborhood of Homs. An attack on two other minibuses at Homs Military Hospital reportedly killed a civil
employee. SANA also reported a brigadier general and first lieutenant were shot dead in Talfita, two polcemen and a civil employee
were shot dead on the Souran-Hama road, while a policeman was killed by a bomb in Atman. [109]
The head of Arab League observers, Sudanese General Dabi, rejected criticism of his team's work and said that the mission had
reduced the bloodshed in Syria. He also said that in some regions, the FSA attacked security forces, prompting them to return fire. [110]
Syria rejected the previous day's Arab League resolution calling on the Syrian government to quit violence and establish a national
unity government, calling it a "foreign conspiracy" that threatened Syria's "sovereignty". [111]
24 January Local Coordination Committees reported that the number of Syrian deaths on 24 January rose to 52, 39 of which were in
Homs, including 18 deaths from the Syrian army's artillery shelling of two buildings in Bab Tadmur neighborhood. Also 5 were killed
in Hama, 3 in Daraa and 2 in Idlib, and one death each in Damascus, Douma in Damascus's Suburbs, and Raqqa. [112]
25 January The Local Coordinating Committees in Syria stated that the number of those killed on 25 January had risen to 24, among
them 6 soldiers from the Free Syrian Army, 2 children, and 2 women. In addition, 5 were killed in Damascus Suburbs, 4 in each of
Homs and Hama, 3 in Idlib, 1 in Aleppo, and 1 in Daraa. [113] The secretary general of the Syrian Red Crescent, a non profit medical
service, was shot dead in Idlib. The Red Crescent commented that his was not the first time they were attacked, and that security
forces had shot at them before. [114]
26 January The Arab League chief has reportedly said that a peace plan that aims to end Syria's political crisis will be submitted to
the United Nations Security Council early next week. Nabil Elaraby, the secretary-general of the Arab League, told reporters in Cairo
that the meeting with UN officials will be held on Monday in New York city. [115][116] Syrian state television reported that tens of
thousands of Assad supporters showed their support in a rally held in Damascus. Various other pro Assad rallies happened across
Syria. [117][118] At least 34 civilians, including ten children, were killed Thursday by security forces in Syria, according to Syrian
Observatory of Human Rights. In addition, seven or eight army deserters were killed Thursday in clashes, including a colonel in
Homs, the London-based organization. In Homs, government forces launched an offensive on Thursday night at the district of Karm
al-Zeitoun, killing 26 civilians, including nine children, and leaving dozens injured. [119] In the city of Hama, where the Syrian army
launched a major offensive Tuesday, four civilians were killed including a woman, 58 years old, who was shot dead by snipers, the
source said. One was killed in the province of Idleb, and two more in the suburbs of Damascus. In the province of Deraa, a teenager
was killed and three others injured. [119] By evening, the Local Coordination Committees in Syria reported that the death toll of
civilians on 26 January reached 42. [120] In addition to the 42 killed, the LCC reported that 23 corpses were later found in the Bab Qebli
section of Hama. The corpses were handcuffed and shown signs of torture. [121] The centre of Douma, on the outskirts of Damascus,
was under the control of the Free Syrian Army during the night, with checkpoints set up on the outskirts and there were reports of
gunfire and explosions in some areas. [122]
27 January - "Friday of the Right to Protect Yourselves" Opposition activists alleged 102 people were shot dead by Syrian
security force across Syria, as Friday protests spread. The casualties included both protesters as well as defected soldiers. The death
toll of 102 included the 23 corpses found overnight in Homs. [123] Anti-government protests occurred primarily in Aleppo, Idlib,
Latakia, Daraa, and the Damascus suburbs. The cities of Hama and Homs also experienced mass protests, but were primarily under
siege by the Syrian army. Since the 23 January, both Hama and Homs have been under intensive siege and occupation by the Syrian
army, which wishes to take back neighborhoods in Hama and Homs recently controlled by the Free Syrian Army. Over the past week
intensive clashes between the Free Syrian Army and the government's forces lead to the FSA's takeover of large proportions of Homs,
Hama, and suburban Damascus, prompting retaliatory attacks by the Syrian army, which additionally lead to dozens of civilian
casualties. the majority of Friday's casualties were in Homs. [123][124][125] Gen. Mustafa al-Dabi warned of an escalation of the conflict in
recent days. The FSA announced that the group had captured around 7 Iranian men, 5 of whom were alleged to be Revolutionary
Guard members participating in the government crackdown (two others were civilians). A video was posted displaying the men and
their alleged Iranian military identity cards, it was too blurry to read the cards, [126] and shows one man, named Haidar Ali, [127][128]
pleading to Ali Khamenei to withdraw all Iranian military personnel from Syria. The FSA stated its intention to hold the men hostage
until military operations against Homs cease and FSA member Lieutenant Colonel Hussein Harmoush is freed. [129] Iran denied that
they were soldiers, and instead said that they were the engineers who had been kidnapped in the previous weeks. [126] Defected Col.
Hammoud estimated the FSA had gained control about 90% of the northern city of Idlib and just over half of Homs. [130]
28 January Local Coordination Committees of Syria reported number of 28 January's deaths rose to 50, among them three 3 children
and one 1 woman., 19 people were killed in Homs, 6 in Hama, 7 in Damascus Suburbs (Saqba, Douma, Moadamieh, Arbeen,
Zamalka, Baseemeh), 3 in Daraa, 2 each in Deir Ezzor and Idlib, and 1 in each of Damascus and Qonaitra, additional to 10 casualties
of the defected soldiers. Deaths in Rankous and Ghouta were also reported, but the number is as of yet unknown. [131][132] The Arab
league decided to suspend for the moment its mission because of the spike of violence in the recent days in the country. The secretary
general also asked the head of the mission to ensure the security of observers. At the same time interior minister Mohamed Shaar said
that Syria will continue to try to "cleanse" Syria of what he named outlaws. [133] By night, the LCC reported that the death toll for 28
January reached 98 people, including 20 unidentified corpses found in Hama's city hospital. [134]
29 January An estimated 2,000 troops backed by tanks attempted to retake rebellious Damascus suburbs, with a similar situation
occurring in the mountain town of Rankous to the north. At least 19 people were reported killed, including fourteen civilians and five
rebels during the government crackdown on the Damascus suburbs of Kfar Batna, Saqba, Jisreen and Arbeen [135] in what locals
described as "urban warfare." [136] The LCC reported one of the bloodiest days of the uprising, with 62 people claimed dead across
Syria. Of the dead, 19 were in Homs, 16 were in and around Damascus, and 15 were in Hama, the LCC said. At least 50 were injured
by government forces' shelling of Damascus' eastern suburb of Ghotta, the LCC claimed. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights
said a roadside bomb destroyed a military vehicle near Idlib, killing 10 soldiers. It also reported a rebel soldier was killed near
Zabadani. SANA said another roadside bomb near Damascus killed six soldiers and wounded six more. Meanwhile, Russian Foreign
Minister Sergei Lavrov, said that he did not agree with the Arab League's decision to suspend its observing mission in Syria, claiming
it had reduced violence and was a "useful instrument" in gauging the situation in the country. [135][137] Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon,